MSU Catalog   

Agricultural Business

College of Agriculture

Agricultural business involves the application of business and economic principles to farming and ranching and related sectors of the general economy. Training in agricultural business includes courses in agricultural firm management, marketing farm products, farm credit and finance, agricultural prices and outlook, agricultural policy, management science, agricultural law, technical agricultural and the business aspects of industries serving agriculture.

Many employment possibilities are open to students with training in agricultural business. Positions are available with businesses which process and market agricultural products, and with the large number of businesses that sell products and services to farmers and ranchers, such as fertilizer companies, farm machinery companies, banks, and farm credit institutions. Also, opportunities exist to operate and manage farms and ranches. In addition, federal and state governments employ persons with training in agricultural business. The agricultural business degree program is administered by the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics.

Agribusiness Management Concentration

The sector of the economy which produces and sells goods and services to farmers and ranchers on one hand, and processes and markets agricultural commodities on the other, has given rise to an area of study called agribusiness management. Emphasis is on training for management, finance, sales work, and accounting in agriculturally-related businesses and industries.

Farm and Ranch Management Concentration

Farming and ranching have become commercialized, specialized businesses. The large investment and complicated business aspects of farming and ranching require training similar to that needed for other industries. The farm and ranch management option provides the necessary training and emphasizes the economic and business aspects of farming and ranching.


Curricula in Agricultural Business


AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION

Freshman YearCredits
ARNR 100--Intro Animal Science3
ECON 101--Econ Way of Think3
ECON 102--Macro & Intntl Econ3
ENGL 121--College Writing I 3
PSPP 102--Plnt Sci,Res,& Envir3
Take one of the following:
     CHEM 121--Intro Gen Chemistry4
     BIOL 101--Organismal Biology4
Take one of the following:
     MATH 170--Survey of Calculus4
     MATH 181-- Calculus & Anl Geom I4
Take one of the following:
     AGED 251--Leadership Dev for Agr3
     COM 110--Public Communication3
University Core and Electives 4
30
Sophomore YearCredits
ECON 309--Managerial Economist3
AGEC 337--Agricultural Law3
BUS 221--Principles of Acct I3
BUS 222--Managerial Accounting3
ECON 201--Intro Micro Theory3
STAT 216--Elementary Statistics3
LRES 201--Soil Resource3
Take one of the following:
     BUS 201--Managerial Communication3
     ENGL 221--College Writing II 3
     ENGL 223--Technical Writing3
Take one of the following:
     AGED 105--Microcomputers in Agri3
     CS 150--Computer Literacy3
University Core and Electives 3
30
Junior and Senior YearCredits
AGEC 321--Econ of Ag Mktg3
AGEC 345--Ag Fin & Credit Analysis3
AGEC 451--Econ of Ag Policy3
ECON 301--Intermediate Micro3
ECON 302--Intermediate Macro3
AGEC 341--Farm and Ranch Management3
Take one of the following:
     BUS 301--Management & Organization3
     BUS 311--Information Systems3
     BUS 341--Marketing3
     I&ME 313--Work Design & Analysis3
     I&ME 325--Engineering Economy3
     I&ME 373--Production Inventory Cost Analysis3
Take one of the following:
     AGEC 421--Advanced Agricult Mktg3
     AGEC 445--Agribusiness Management3
University Core and Electives 36
60

*ECON 250 (Honors Economics, 4 credits) may be substituted for the 3 course sequence ECON 101, ECON 102, and ECON 201.

University Core and Electives Must Include:

One course in Ag, CS, or I&ME3
Fine Arts3
Humanities6
Social Sciences (excluding AGEC/ECON)6
One additional course from Fine Arts, Humanities,
or Social Sciences (excluding AGEC/ECON)3

Graduation Requirements:

Agribusiness students must receive a grade of C or better in Econ 101S, 102SG, 201, 301, 302, and Math 170 or 181 (or their equivalents) to meet departmental graduation requirements. All other ECON/AGEC elective courses counting toward departmental graduation requirements must be graded C- or better.

Agribusiness students seeking a second major in Economics must complete an additional 15 credits at the 300 level or above in ECON/AGEC electives over and above all requirements for graduation with a major in Agribusiness.

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation; 42 of these credits must be numbered 300 or above.


FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION

Freshman YearCredits
ARNR 100--Intro Animal Science3
ECON 101--Econ Way of Think3
ECON 102--Macro & Intntl Econ3
ENGL 121--College Writing I 3
PSPP 102--Plnt Sci,Res,& Envir3
Take one of the following:
     CHEM 121--Intro Gen Chemistry4
     BIOL 101--Organismal Biology4
Take one of the following:
     MATH 170--Survey of Calculus4
     MATH 181--Calculus & Anl Geom I4
Take one of the following:
     AGED 251--Leadership Dev for Agr3
     COM 110--Public Communication3
University Core and Electives 4
30
Sophomore YearCredits
ECON 309--Managerial Economics3
AGEC 337--Agricultural Law3
BUS 221--Principles of Acct I3
BUS 222--Managerial Accounting3
ECON 201--Intro Micro Theory3
LRES 201--Soil Resource3
STAT 216--Elementary Statistics3
Take one of the following:
     AGED 105--Microcomputers in Agri3
     CS 150--Computer Literacy3
Take one of the following:
     BUS 201--Managerial Communication3
     ENGL 221--College Writing II3
     ENGL 223--Technical Writing3
University Core and Electives 3
30
Junior And Senior YearsCredits
AGEC 321--Econ of Ag Mktg3
AGEC 345--Ag Finance & Credit Analysis3
AGEC 451--Econ of Ag Policy3
ARNR 320--Animal Nutrition4
ECON 301--Intermediate Micro3
ECON 302--Intermediate Macro3
AGEC 341--Farm and Ranch Management3
Take one of the following:
     AGEC 421--Adv Agriculture Mktg3
     AGEC 445--Agribusiness Management3
Take 4 credits from the supporting area courses.
Take:
     ARNR 101--Prin of Rnglnd Mgmt3
     ARNR 102--Prin of Rnglnd Mgmt Lab1
or
     PSPP 242--Crop Identification1
Univ Core and Electives 27
60

University Core and Electives Must Include:

Fine Arts3
Humanities6
Social Sciences (excluding AGEC/ECON)6
One additional course from Fine Arts, Humanities,
or Social Sciences (excluding AGEC/ECON)3

*ECON 250 (Honors Economics, 4 credits) may be substituted for the 3 course sequence ECON 101, ECON 102, and ECON 201.

Graduation Requirements:

Agribusiness students must receive a grade of C or better in ECON 101, ECON 102, ECON 201, ECON 301, ECON 302, and MATH 170 or 181 (or their equivalents) to meet departmental graduation requirements. All other AGEC/ECON elective courses counting toward departmental graduation requirements must be graded C- or better.

Agribusiness students seeking a second major in Economics must complete an additional 15 credits at the 300 level or above in ECON/AGEC electives over and above all requirements for graduation with a major in Agribusiness.

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation; 42 of these credits must be numbered 300 and above.


MINOR IN AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS (NON-TEACHING)

A student must receive a grade of C- or better in all Agricultural Economics and Economics courses required for the minor.

M
Departmental Course RequirementsCredits
AGEC 321--Econ of Ag Mktg3
AGEC 341--Farm & Ranch Management3
AGEC 345--Ag Fin & Cred Anl3
ECON 101--Econ Way of Think3
ECON 102--Macro & Intntl Econ3
ECON 201--Intro Micro Theory3
ECON 301--Intermediate Micro3
Plus six upper division AGEC/ECON elective6
credits (no seminars, 470's or 489/490's)**
27
Supporting Requirements
BUS 221--Principles of Acct I3
Take one of the following:
     MATH 170--Survey of Calculus4
     MATH 181--Calculus & Anl Geom I4
STAT 216--Elementary Statistics3
3 credits of 200+
(ACCT, BUS, FIN, MGMT, MKTG) courses
3
13
Total40

* ECON 250 (Honors Economics, 4 credits) may be substituted for the three-course sequence: ECON 101, 102, and 201.

** Students cannot use both AGEC 337 and BUS 361 to meet the requirements of the minor.

*** "P" grades may be accepted at the discretion of the department only for courses transferred from outside the Montana University System.


Contents...